Second Chances
by Celinarose
Summary: Lily gives him a second chance and gets one herself.


She hated Severus Snape, Lily told herself on a constant basis, not sure if she believed it. In the beginning, she really did resent him for the words he said, But as time wore on, they seemed somewhat insignificant in the grander scheme of things. Besides, he did apologise, multiple times at that but each time, his single betrayal echoed back in her mind. However, she spent a lot of time wondering if she ought to simply forgive him and find her friend again.

But before she knew it, their NEWTS rolled around, signalling the end of their stay at Hogwarts. She admitted to herself, only after their last day was over, that she regretted not mending her friendship with Severus. But perhaps there was still time, she consoled herself. She still knew where he lived, and once she went home after the NEWTS, perhaps it would not be too late to accept his apology and offer one of her own.

She hadn't expected that James would propose immediately after they had left school. It caught her completely off guard. What surprised her even more was the sound of her own voice, replying to him in the affirmative. It was only sensible, she supposed. James was good for her. Nonetheless, her eyes searched her surroundings for Severus, even as James slipped the ring onto her finger.

In her dazed state of mind, she overlooked the presence of the very man she was looking for, as he was watching her, hidden some distance away.

The next day, the rumours told her that Severus Snape had officially become a part of Voldemort's minions. Her heart fell on hearing the tidings. Surely it couldn't be true?

Making her excuses to James and her other friends, she left for Spinners End immediately. Thankfully, there was an apparition point close enough to it.

Rushing to the house where the Snapes used to live, she found it distinctly worse off than she remembered. Like Severus himself, the house had been orphaned when Eileen Snape died. She knew Severus hated this place, that brought back memories of his terrible childhood, and that he only came back when he had no where else to go. There was a light at the window, however, letting her know that there was indeed someone in it.

She knocked, somewhat hesitantly. A slurred but familiar voice told her to leave. Instead she broke his wards, opened the door, and stepped inside.

He was sitting on a couch in a corner of the dimly lit, somewhat dilapidated room, holding a bottle of Firewhisky. There was a small fire burning in the grate that cast strange shadows, making him look like a lost, pitiable figure.

"Severus?" she called out, softly. Her voice rang in the tiny room.

He turned to face her, slowly, and she saw his face had become paler, and his eyes, sunken. She gasped. He looked so different from the Severus she remembered. His morose expression soon turned into a scowl on seeing her. He was staring at her with fury...no...disbelief.

"No..." he muttered, as if to himself. "Not again..."

Lily dared to step forward, though she was confused.

He raised his voice as she approached.

"NO! Stay away from me! You are not real!" he cried.

Lily stopped.

"Severus, I..." she began, but then noticed that he was shaking. The bottle of drink slipped from his trembling hands and crashed onto the floor.

"Not real...hallucinations...it's the firewhisky...can't be here...not real..." He was whispering the words, like a mantra. It seemed to cut right across her heart. He couldn't imagine that she would visit him? Was that what their former friendship had come to? How had she let the rift between them run so deep?

He drew up his legs onto the couch, and held his knees, rocking back and forth, never ceasing his whispers.

Immediately, instinctively, she went to his side.

"Sev?" she said, in a low voice, wrapping her arms around him.

He looked up at her, his eyes glistening with tears. Suddenly, a flicker of hope ran across them.

"Is it really..." he began, unable to finish as his voice choked.

She smiled. "Of course."

"Why...?" he murmured.

"I meant to ask you that," she replied, her voice turning somewhat colder. "Alice told me you joined the Death Eaters. Is it true?"

He looked away again. She took it for confirmation. She took a deep breath.

"Why?"

He sat up straight, having regained his composure.

"I'm sorry, Lily. You must leave now. It's late."

"You know well enough that I will not leave. So tell me, why, Severus?"

"I am not answerable to you, Mrs Potter." His emphasis on her title did not go unnoticed.

"I'm not married to him," she pointed out.

He gave a bitter laugh.

"You will be, soon enough," he said.

Lily stopped short. Was that...jealousy, that she had heard in his voice? Why would he be jealous? Unless... Dare she hope that...

"Perhaps I won't be," she said, boldly.

He frowned, startled.

"But you have still to answer my question. Why did you join the Dark Lord?" she asked again.

"I did not."

Lily was taken aback.

"But..."

"Tonight," he said. "I was to be entered into the Dark Lord's ranks tonight."

He pulled up his left sleeve to reveal his arm. Alabaster skin, untainted.

She sat down on the chair opposite his. "I was going to...visit you to accept your apology, and to apologise to you for all these years."

He simply looked at her through disbelieving eyes. She sighedbefore continuing.

"But James...well he..."

Severus glanced pointedly at the ring that lay on her finger. The metal band seemed to scald her skin ad he gazed at it with regret.

On an impulse, she suddenly took it off and placed it on the table. He looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

"I came to ask you if...if you could give me a second chance, Sev."

Her own voice was trembling, she realised.

"I can't," he said. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she looked away. Of course. He was right. She shouldn't be here. She ought to go back to James and-

"Not unless you can give me a second chance as well," his voice cut into her thoughts.

When she looked up hopefully, and met his obsidian eyes, he was smiling, a smile she hadn't seen in a very long time.

A smile that was reflected in her own expression, safe in the knowledge that she had found her best friend again.

 _ **Notes: For The Golden Snitch's International Women's Day Event.**_

 _ **Main Prompt: Write about someone giving a second chance.**_

 _ **Bonus Prompts: sensible, orphan**_

 _ **Schhol and House: Chepi, Brinwell**_

 _ **Also for the Through the Universe Challenge. Prompt: Severus/Lily**_


End file.
